New Approaches to Service-Learning Pedagogy - Transformational Learning through Community Engagement

Abstract

Service-Learning is a proven pedagogy for fostering transformational learning

in every discipline. Many Mason faculty have found that engaging students in

addressing some of the challenges in our local communities is the best way to meet

their course learning objectives. These projects not only provide opportunities to

apply classroom learning, they also challenge students to deal with the complexity

of the "real world." Community engagement requires students to wrestle with

the influences of cultural values, power and privilege, social capital, economic

systems, corporate and government policies, and other factors that contribute to

the problems of our times.